Eric looked around. This was not how he wanted to go, adrift in an escape pod as oxygen failed. He shouldn't feel frustrated like he did. Most of the crew was not as lucky and was lost when the Gatto was destroyed or trying to escape. He picked up a small cylinder and pressed a small red button to begin recording what may be his final message.

“Acting Chief Medical Officer Eric Newton recording. There was a Borg attack and we took significant damage. Doctor Rodriguez and I were in sickbay doing triage and trying to stabilize the wounded. While we were working, two Borg beamed into the middle of sickbay. Before we could do anything, one of them struck Dr. Rodriguez and he struck his head against the wall. Two of the patients that could still move some attempted to grapple the one that attacked Dr. Rodriguez. The other one beamed in front of me with his back to me. I was able to pick up a monomolecular scalpel and sever its spine. A quick moment after it died, both of the Borg beamed out. The surviving one taking the two crewmen that had attempted to subdue it with him. I ran and checked on Dr. Rodriguez, but he was already dead.”

“A very short time later, there was an abandon ship notice. I managed to move two of the patients into the lifeboat with me and the rest of the staff filled in the other lifeboats. Launch went smooth and as we put distance between us and the Gatto we could see the damage. Lights flickered all over the ship, pieces were drifting around the ship and the lifeboats were moving around the debris in order to get clear. Getting clear of the ship only presented a better firing solution for the Borg. I expected the Borg to try and tractor beam us all into their ship for assimilation but instead, they began firing at the lifeboats. We were apparently nothing of value to the Borg and to prove resistance was futile, they were exterminating the survivors.”

“As I watched the lifeboats slowly wink out with each green burst of energy and began to say my final prayers, something unexpected happened. They stopped. No green lances of death came out from the ships, no small winks of detonation from destroyed lifeboats, just nothing. They remained motionless for what felt like a lifetime. In reality, it was probably more like a minute or less. After that, there was a flash of light as they warped out of the system, leaving the remaining lifeboats adrift next to a lifeless vessel that we had been living on moments ago.” There was an audible sigh.

“Two other lifeboats are making their way over here and we are going to try to connect to share supplies. Without any timely help, my two patients with me will die. One has head trauma, the other internal bleeding and some burns. There is nothing I can do but keep them sedated and comfortable. For the rest of us, I don’t know what we will do. I’m afraid if we keep these lifeboat emergency beacons active, the Borg will come back or another Borg vessel will find us. If we turn them off, unless another Federated ship is close by and was unmolested by this attack, we will not last long. We are between systems and nothing habitable is close by. Of course, I don’t know how to turn off the beacon even if I wanted to.” There was another pause and an audible hiss, followed by a chuckle.

“It’s ironic. I asked to be transferred here. I wanted to see some action, explore unknown and be put in danger. I was told ‘face your fears and you will overcome them on the other side.’ How am I facing my fear? I’m in a lifeboat medicating myself from going into full blown panic attack with two patients that need help and I am just trying to hold it together.” There was another pause. “Maybe when we get out of this and back to a Starbase, I may have to rethink my idea of adventure and find somewhere more my pace to open a clinic. Either way, I just have to get through this. There are still two people that need me...if we even get rescued. Acting Chief Medical Officer Eric Newton’s first and possible final report.”